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(In)visible Melt
(In)visible Melt
Paul


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Before and After II (Basic Editing)
Collection: Misc
Camera: Olympus E-410
Lens: Olympus 35mm f/3.5 Macro ED Zuiko Digital
Location: Home
Date: Dec 7, 2008
Aperture: f/22
ISO: 400
Shutter: 1/25
Galleries: Abstract, Macro
Date Uploaded: Dec 7, 2008

 I'm sure I won't be the only person to photograph ice and water for this challenge, but I imagine most will have a wider appeal than this!

I wanted to capture the purity of ice and water - trying to get it all close enough to white without losing the melt water completely was a bit tricky.

I doubt it will be everybody's cup of tea but it is pretty close to what I wanted to produce.

Done as you see it really - ice cube on a light box with a macro lens.

The edit: Crop, black and white, exposure increase, smart sharpen and some curves done in the image in CS4 until it looked OK. Finally the colour temperature and a tint were applied in Apple's Preview.

It will probably bomb! ....but I like it!

[Dec. 12th, 2008 11:32:08 AM]

Well, a few days into voting and this image is bombing as predicted! Given the comments, I think this image could be used as a monitor calibration tool!

I have a couple of Dell 3008 monitors at home and I can see every detail of the ice cube and the melt-water too.

When I looked at it at work, I couldn't see the melt water at all but a slight reduction in the contrast setting on the monitor and the detail came back.

I did want something that captured transparency... hmm perhaps not such a good idea for a photo! I'll put this one down to experience.

[Dec. 15th, 2008 10:50:44 AM]

As I look at this in light of what is likely to be my personal worst score - I think a lot of people think this image doesn't meet the brief. However, what you see at the bottom of the ice cube is water, not a shadow. It is lit from below so there aren't any shadows.

A personal worst for me, is there a ribbon for most misunderstood (but still a bit rubbish) image??

Statistics
Place: 122 out of 143
Avg (all users): 4.6402
Avg (commenters): 5.3750
Avg (participants): 4.5294
Avg (non-participants): 4.6812
Views since voting: 1012
Views during voting: 329
Votes: 189
Comments: 9
Favorites: 0

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AuthorThread
Canon EOS-5D
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS
 12/22/2008 09:16:53 PM
Greetings from the critique club...

As an image on it's own, I find this photograph very interesting. I like the abstract feel. As an image in a "before & after challenge" I understand why it did not do as well as you would have liked. It appears you have already figured this out on your own, but perhaps you would like to hear it from someone else. While you know there was a puddle of water underneath the ice cube, as a viewer, I wasn't sure if there was or not. The puddle appears to be the same shape as the ice cube, and is therefore easily confused for something it is not. That doesn't mean it isn't a good photograph, it just means that the viewers weren't able to figure out the before and after, and voted accordingly.

If you need any clarification on any of my comments, please feel free to pm me. It might take some time for me to get back to you.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Canon EOS-450D Rebel XSi
Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM
 12/16/2008 08:10:41 AM
I would have liked to have seen more of the melted water
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D200
Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D
 12/15/2008 10:09:40 PM
Very interesting. I love all the "imperfections" in the ice and your choice of lighting to capture this.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-50D
Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
 12/15/2008 02:10:42 AM
Great concept
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT
Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC for Canon
 12/14/2008 12:42:45 PM
More contrast is needed to isolate the ice a little more
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon
 12/13/2008 02:11:48 PM
Nice high key shot. Your lighting is good to create a pure white surface. The ice then melts within the white. Nicely done. 7
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon PowerShot A70
 12/12/2008 10:35:32 AM
An ice cube, I presume? Its so bright that its hard to tell. I certainly can't tell if its melting or solid here. Sorry, doesn't meet the challenge for me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D70
Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED
 12/11/2008 01:59:41 PM
good idea but hard to see 5
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-20D
 12/10/2008 09:13:00 AM
you are nuts 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
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